The Death of Chat Noir
by Firewing's Scepter
Summary: A Miraculous Holder de-transforms at the worst possible time, and it spells the end for Chat Noir as we know him.
1. Chapter 1

MLB Fanfic –

_Author's Note: First off, I do not own any of these characters. Second, I wrote this long before the Episode "Chat Blanc" aired, so don't expect it to align with anything from recent episodes. _

**Chapter 1 – Chat Blanc**

Ladybug never walked into an Akuma battle expecting it to be easy. She'd fought villains who formed bubbles that could float you up into the stratosphere. Ones who could freeze you, reverse you, or force you to sing and dance just to stay in the fight. Even Mr. Pigeon had given them a hard time the first time around.

But fighting a Miraculous holder was in a category all its own. Queen Wasp, Rena Rage, and Shell Shock had been terrifying. If there was one thing she'd learned, it was that she never wanted to fight an akumatized Miraculous holder EVER AGAIN.

But life under Hawkmoth's reign of terror rarely gave you what you wanted, so here she was fending off blows from a trusted friend.

Yes, that trusted friend was extra powerful because he was a miraculous holder. And of course, the Akuma was hiding IN the miraculous, so it could only be broken with Chat Noir's cataclysm, but overall that wasn't her biggest problem.

Her biggest problem was that the person she was fighting WAS Chat Noir, or more specifically Chat Blanc.

Under any other set of circumstances, she'd trust Chat to fight the Akuma while she went to Master Fu for reinforcements, but that wasn't an option this time. She couldn't risk Chat tracking her to the miracle box. She had to find another way, but it took all her focus just to deflect each attack.

_I don't think I ever appreciated what a skilled fighter he is, _she thought, dodging his next series of blows and jumping to the fourth story balcony of a nearby building to put some space between them. From there, she jumped to another building further away. "Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty, catch me if you can," she baited him, luring him away from the crowds fleeing below.

Chat fell for it, chasing after her. If she could just keep him from endangering citizens AND from breathing down her neck, she could put together a plan. It was time for her…

"Lucky Charm!" She shouted, feeling more confident as the familiar swarm of Ladybugs appeared and condensed into…

"A ring?" Ladybug barely had enough time to identify the object before Chat Blanc knocked it away with his baton. The small item flew over a row of houses before falling out of sight. Ladybug was about to go after it when Chat flipped over her, blocking her path towards the Lucky Charm. If she wanted to get it, she'd have to go through him.

Ladybug glanced around searching for a clue to stop him, and Chat took advantage of her hesitation, launching towards her.

"Cataclysm!" he cried for the fourth or fifth time since the Akuma entered his ring. It'd had unlocked an unlimited number for him, and to make things worse (or at least more interesting) Chat could tag things and then cause them to crumble later.

That's what he did now. While Ladybug dodged a blow from his baton, he tagged the ground (technically, the roof of the building) they were on. Then, when Ladybug was off-balance, he snapped his fingers, and the surface beneath her feet caved in. Ladybug flung her yo-yo upwards to catch her fall, but her partner was ready for that. He stretched out his claws towards the string.

"CATACLYSM!" He cried again, and her yo-yo gave out, falling clumsily towards the ground. Ladybug herself didn't fair much better, hitting the floor hard, but getting to her feet quickly.

Seeing that her yo-yo was at least in one piece, she tried reeling it in.

It didn't come.

She yanked it again, panic rising. The yo-yo slid uselessly across the ground. _Oh-no. _Just because an Akumatized cataclysm wouldn't obliterate her yo-yo, didn't mean it wouldn't render it useless.

"This is bad_."_ Ladybug's gaze returned to Chat Blanc and the bitter smile that twisted his features. Then, focusing on his eyes, she saw the pain of a boy with a broken heart.

Pain she'd caused.

Their earlier conversation echoed in her mind.

* * *

"_Come on, Bugaboo. One little kiss for your fa-fur-rite partner," he'd asked with his Cheshire grin. They'd been waiting on a nearby roof as a Celebration for Ladybug and Chat Noir commenced a block away in the park. Soon, the Mayor would announce them, and they'd make their grand entrance. _

_Ladybug hadn't wanted to do the appearance in the first place, but Chat had reminded her of Copycat, a disappointed artist who'd been Akumatized because Ladybug hadn't shown up when she'd promised. Ladybug had reminded him that Copycat was as much Chat's fault as it was hers._

"…_If not more," she'd stressed, but Chat had said how easy it'd be for some "poor disappointed fan to be victimized by Hawkmoth just because their favorite superheroine didn't show up," and well, here she was. _

_Now, Chat was pushing his luck, trying to get a kiss from his Lady under the guise of 'it's just for the cameras.' Ladybug knew full-well that it'd never be 'just for the cameras' for Chat. A kiss was a kiss, and she didn't want to lead him on or give him any false pretexts when she knew she was in love with Adrien. _

"_No, Chat Noir, I've already told you, I'm in love with somebody else. Kissing you… I couldn't do it. I'd feel unfaithful."_

"_If you don't recall, you have kissed me before," he said with a widening grin. Ladybug resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Sure, she remembered, even though she knew for a fact he didn't. _

"_Ugh, once it was to save your life," she said referencing how she'd saved him from Dark Cupid's arrow. "And the second time it was when I couldn't remember that I'm in love with…" she stopped short of saying Adrien's name. "Uh… someone else." She heaved a sigh of relief that she hadn't spilled the beans. "Anyway, it looks like we should get down there." She said, changing the subject. She'd been following the Mayor's speech on her bug-phone, and he'd just announced them. _

_She was just about to swing away on her yo-yo when Chat caught her arm. "Ladybug, I…" His face had lost its mirth. Looking her in the eye, he said, "I really hope that whoever he is, he appreciates how amazing you are." _

_Ladybug gave a forced smile. "I… It's… complicated." She admitted softly, before swinging away and landing on the stage set up in the park. For a moment, Chat was left behind on the roof. _What did she mean when she called the relationship 'complicated'? _He wondered. Was there any guy in Paris who couldn't see how incredible she was? He shoved the ludicrous thought from his mind and went to join his Lady on the stage._

* * *

_Not far from the roof top where the superheroes had spoken, a mechanical window opened, illuminating the city's greatest supervillain. _

"_A celebration for Ladybug and Chat Noir, so many hearts swelling with joy… but not one." Hawkmoth observed. Even without his ability to detect strong negative emotions, he could've guessed the effect this rally would have on his dear Lila Rossi. He savored her rage at being forced to attend this ridiculous function. Under other circumstances, she would've used her talent for lies to get out of it, but one phone call from Gabriel Agreste had changed her mind (after all, Adrien would be there, and Gabriel would appreciate knowing someone was keeping an eye out for his son)_

"_Go, my little Akuma and evilize her!"_

* * *

_Chat Noir tried to focus on the rally, but his mind kept returning to what Ladybug had said. _

"_It's complicated? How complicated could it pawsibly be if she really loves him?" He mused silently. As the minutes wore on though, he felt more and more unsettled. It was one thing for the relationship to be complicated because the boy didn't know her identity as Ladybug. But Chat hadn't asked about her relationship. He'd just expressed a hope that the boy appreciated her. What could be so complicated about that?_

_Ladybug wouldn't stay in a relationship with a guy who didn't value her, right? _

_She certainly wouldn't forfeit a guy who loved her (like Chat did) for a guy who, what? Ignored her? Hurt her?_

No, _Chat Noir thought, shaking his head to clear it. _That couldn't be it at all_, but it still left him with more questions than answers. He needed to talk to her. Unfortunately, Ladybug was actively avoiding him. _

_But Chat was determined. After the fifth or sixth attempt, he finally cornered her. "Ladybug, could you just answer one question?"_

"_I won't tell you his name."_

"_That's not what I was going to ask for." He was kind of surprised that she'd even think it. "I just," he sighed, knowing that Adrien Agreste was bleeding through the persona of Chat Noir. "You know that I love you, right?" she didn't answer, so he went on. "That I'd do anything for you? Can you at least tell me if he loves you as much as you do him? I mean, surely you wouldn't give up on someone as cat-astic as myself for someone who doesn't love you back?" Ladybug looked away, and Chat felt a sinking feeling in his gut. "right?" _

_Unable to look him in the eye, she simply repeated, "It's complicated." After another pause, "I should go." She flung her yo-yo and let it pull her away. _

_Behind her, Chat was in shock._

* * *

_In a corner of the park, Lila Rossi was having a terrible day. Part of her (a large part, if she was being honest) actually hoped she could be akumatized so she could demolish every one of the thousand things with Ladybug's face plastered on it. To make matters worse, she couldn't find Adrien anywhere._

_So, when she saw the little black butterfly coming, it felt like her prayers had been answered. "Choose me, Hawkmoth, and I promise you won't be disappointed." She murmured. Oh, it was possible the Akuma was meant for someone else, but her heart sang that this one was hers. _

_It headed straight for her… until it didn't. The Akuma fluttered in midair, and then flew off. "What?!" she almost cried aloud. Tracking the Akuma with her eyes, she wanted to see who Hawkmoth believed would be a better ally than herself. _

_Then, when she saw the intended target, she had to admit she understood. If she were in Hawkmoth's shoes, she would've made the same decision. _

_For his part, Chat Noir never even saw the Akuma coming._

* * *

Ladybug knew an apology wouldn't be enough to bring her partner back to his senses, but she had to try. It was certainly better than sitting back and letting him take her miraculous.

"Chat, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you." As she spoke, she tried to take stock of her situation and any possible advantages that might be in her favor. So far, she'd lost her yo-yo and her Lucky Charm. Chat Blanc had managed to cataclysm her right arm and both legs, and while they hadn't crumbled to a million pieces, they were effectively useless. As it was, she was crawling away from him with just her left arm in working order.

Ok, so things weren't looking good, but there had to be a way out. She glanced around hoping for inspiration, but in moments, her back was to a wall, and Chat Blanc was crouching over her, that same pained expression contorting his features.

"Cataclysm," he breathed, as the tears streamed down his face, and dark energy engulfed his hand. "Goodbye, _My Lady."_ He sneered.

Ladybug gulped.

Was this it? Would this be the end for Ladybug and Chat Noir?


	2. Chapter 2 Dead to Rights

**Chapter 2 – Dead to Rights**

Chat Blanc searched Ladybug's eyes for answers. _How could she put up with a person who doesn't love her? How could she stay with someone like that instead of accepting me? Am I really so awful in her eyes?_ _Why? What did I do wrong? Why couldn't she just give me a chance? _

He crouched down, so they were face-to-face. He stretched out his hand, then hesitated. Did he really want to do this?

"Yes, Chat Noir, take her Miraculous!" Hawkmoth goaded him. "How long has she slapped away your love? Now, the high and mighty Ladybug is helpless. Do it! Take her Miraculous!"

But Chat didn't move. On the one paw, he knew it'd be child's play to tear her earrings from her, but on the other... This was his partner, the person he admired most, and the only person he could be himself around. He loved her. Could he really destroy her? Did he even want to?

"No," he said softly. "I don't want to see her hurt…I don't want to hurt her." Chat lowered the paw wielding the cataclysm and leaned away from Ladybug. He stood up and made like he was ready to walk away. Despite Hawkmoth's best efforts, Chat's sour emotions were fading. If the supervillain didn't act quickly, he'd lose the most powerful ally he'd ever had.

His villainous mind raced. "Don't you at least want to see the face of the girl who's rejected you time and again?" He felt Chat pause, and Hawkmoth knew he'd gotten the boy's attention. "Don't you want to see who's really behind the mask?"

Ladybug barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief, before she saw Chat look at her over his shoulder. Slowly, he turned to face her fully, and she watched the pain expression fade, only to be replaced by something much worse.

His pupils dilated, like a cat eyeing prey.

"Chat, please. You have to fight this." She pleaded, but whatever Hawkmoth was saying was more interesting. Chat Blanc's eyes hardened, and his lips curled upward in a twisted grin. He sauntered back to where she lay propped against the wall.

"I want to see." He said, stretching out his claws toward her cheek.

"See? See what" she stalled.

"I want to see the face of the girl who's never given me a chance, who deemed me unlovable. I want to see your real face…" Ladybug could imagine Hawkmoth crowing in victory. It was then that she realized she might be in a no-win scenario. Even if Chat came to his senses and didn't force her to de-transform, it'd been a while since she'd summoned her Lucky Charm.

She didn't know how many spots were left on her earrings, but it couldn't be many, right?_ How much time do I have? A minute? Two? Even if Chat doesn't do something drastic, I'm still about to transform back! I have to get out of this NOW!_

Excited to unmask her, Chat stretched out his clawed hand. Naturally, Ladybug strained to get away from the dark energy, but there was nowhere for her to go. Chat studied her bluebell eyes. Was this the last time he'd ever see them? Was this really the end of "Ladybug and Chat Noir"?

He hesitated one more time. His hand so close to her cheek that it was amazing he didn't touch her by accident. _Is this really how it ends for us, M'Lady?_

In an answer: No. With his paw only millimeters from Ladybug's face, something flashed in his mind, causing him to freeze. It was so quick that he couldn't identify it at first. Then, it flashed again. A face. Someone he recognized. "Now, Chat Blanc! Take her MIRACULOUS!" Hawkmoth commanded, but his voice was secondary to the powerful flashes of light flooding Chat's mind.

Then, the face appeared again, slower this time. Chat knew that face. He knew those bright green eyes and that golden hair almost as well as he knew his own.

_Mom._

Thinking of his mother was like a cold splash of water, bringing him out of his heartache-induced rage and back to his senses. The face appeared again, and Adrien knew that wherever she was, she'd never want to see him like this… She'd be heartbroken if she saw him now… It was enough to bring Chat Blanc Noir/Adrien back to himself.

It was like reality snapped back into place, and Chat was left wondering how he'd gotten into this mess. Here, he was about to kill Ladybug? Never! He… He had to get them out of this. First, he lifted his hand wielding the cataclysm, and discharged it into the wall behind Ladybug's back. He expected to hear Hawkmoth's voice inside his head demanding to know what he was doing, but the supervillain was oddly silent (Instead Gabriel was trying to figure out how… what… _**why**_ had Chat Noir envisioned his wife? _Did Chat and Emilie know each other? Did Chat know it was Gabriel behind Hawkmoth's mask? Was it possible that Hawkmoth and Chat knew each other in their civilian lives…?_)

While Hawkmoth was trying to figure out Chat Noir's possible identity, Chat's mind also raced. He looked around. Behind him, Ladybug's yo-yo lay useless. In front of him, through the hole in the wall, he saw a speck of red and black in the alleyway, and he prayed that it might be the Lucky Charm.

As he tried to put together a plan, he realized that Hawkmoth was probably listening in on his every thought right now. He needed to lose his akuma. But, how?

"Uh, Hawkmoth?" Chat asked. _No, if I'm going to stand a chance of fooling him, I need to sound more assertive._ He waited another moment, but there was no response from the villain. "Hawkmoth, I don't want to use your weak cataclysm on her. I want to use my own. I need you to remove your Akuma, so I can do that." Still there was silence, and Chat was seriously worried.

_This isn't going to work, is it?_

* * *

_In the evil lair…_

Hawkmoth couldn't figure out how Chat Blanc could possibly have thought of his wife at that pivotal moment. Furthermore, _why_ had he done it? Was it an untapped power of the Black Cat Miraculous to supply, not only the physical power to destroy things, but also the knowledge or insight to destroy a person as well_?_

"Sir," Nathalie said, getting his attention. "What happened? Is everything alright?"

"Chat N… Chat Blanc, he was thinking about… my wife."

"That's not possible, sir."

"You think I don't know that?! The only way for him to think of her is if his Kwami supplied him the information, or if…"

"Or if Chat Noir knew her so intimately that he'd think of her at this crucial moment."

"_Hawkmoth?"_ This wasn't Nathalie speaking. It was Chat Blanc communing with him.

"Wh-What? Why haven't you taken her Miraculous yet?" Hawkmoth demanded, but his voice sounded shaky. Nathalie recognized it as the tone her boss used when he was worried (most often, about Adrien). _He's off-balance. _She thought. _This was the closest he's ever come to having the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous within his grasp_. But just like every other time, something unexpected was keeping him from his goal. _Not this time. _

"Sir," she said, "allow me to go out as Mayura. Together, we will guarantee your victory." Hawkmoth studied her briefly and gave a curt nod. As she ran off to retrieve the peacock Miraculous, he silently second-guessed his decision to let her use it. A broken miraculous was dangerous, and he couldn't imagine losing her.

Distracted by his doubts, he didn't detect Chat Noir plotting against him.

* * *

Chat tried to keep himself together as he repeated his request. _Why hadn't he heard me the first time? What? Was he sidetracked or something? _Chat found that unlikely. It was more believable to think that somehow Plagg had weakened the connection for a few moments. "I said that I want to use my own cataclysm on her, my real one. It'll do more than just immobilize her. It'll destroy her, and my eyes will be the last she ever sees…" _Was this offer too much for Hawkmoth? _"If you're worried, my cataclysm won't damage the Miraculous themselves, just the Lady wearing them."

There was a long pause. "Fine, Chat Blanc, but be aware, I DO have eyes in the area. I WILL be watching." Chat couldn't resist a chill snaking down his spine. Then he held his breath until the black akuma left his ring.

Chat Noir breathed a heavy sigh of relief. They'd all but won. If he was calm, Hawkmoth wouldn't be able to re-akumatize him even if he wanted to.

"Chat?" Ladybug asked.

Chat ALMOST said, "I'm back. I'm sorry. Let's get your yo-yo and Lucky Charm, and capture this Akuma, and defeat Hawkmoth…" but then, he remembered that Hawkmoth was probably watching their every move. He had to stay in character or else Hawkmoth might drive the Akuma to multiply and Akumatize all Paris with Chat Blanc copies.

He only hoped that his partner would catch on to what he was doing.

* * *

Chat Noir stood erect and began to pace the room casually. Ladybug had expected him to finish her off quickly. _But like a cat,_ she thought darkly,_ he's going to take his time, so he can enjoy playing with his prey._

Still she had to TRY to reach him.

"Chat Noir, I need you to get my yo-yo and Lucky Charm before Hawkmoth re-akumatizes you. He's going to try. And we need to stop him before it's too late." Chat Noir's eyes widened slightly, and she thought she'd gotten through to him, but then he glanced around (almost like he was afraid they were being watched).

Not for the first time, he looked over her shoulder towards the alleyway beyond the rubble. Calmly, he strolled past her. In the alley, he picked up something that she couldn't see, before returning to pace before her. "So, you really love him?"

"What?" Ladybug asked. She'd been focused on identifying the thing he'd picked up.

"This other boy who's so much better for you than I am? You really love him?"

Ladybug hesitated. _How should I answer? Being honest got him akumatized last time. Should I lie if it's the only way to buy time? _She glanced around. She couldn't go anywhere with two bum legs and a limp arm (not to mention what? Seconds? A minute before she changed back?).

She had no choice: she had to stall, but she didn't want to lie. "He's an amazing boy."

"And he loves you?"

She hesitated, debating between the complicated truth and the much easier lie. "He doesn't love me." She finally admitted. "We're just friends." That part was painful to confess, but as hard as it'd been for her to say, it'd clearly hurt Chat Noir much more. Watching his reaction, she decided to give up on telling him the truth. All it ever did was cause him pain. Over his shoulder, she could see the Akuma flutter closer. _If the truth brings nothing but trouble, maybe a lie will work better._

"But now I see that you, Chat Noir, you're the one I belong with. You're the one I really love."

Chat Noir stood there in shock. One moment, he's facing the fact that Ladybug wasn't even dating the guy she's been fawning over. The next, she's saying…

"You… love… me?" Chat said,. Had he heard her right? Was this a dream or was this real? Ladybug smiled at him, and his heart skipped a beat.

This was the best day of his life.

It would be a day he'd remember forever.

It'd be the beginning of something wonderful.

It was… It…

It wasn't true, was it? A dark cloud interrupted Chat's jubilation, and no matter what he wanted to believe he, he couldn't shake it. He knew. He knew she was lying. As painful as it'd been to hear her tell him the truth, hearing her lie was much, MUCH worse.

Chat wasn't even sure how he knew she was lying. One part of him wanted to believe her so badly. But that part couldn't override what his heart knew: that it wasn't true.

She didn't love him, and a nasty voice inside his head wondered if she ever would.

Ladybug watched a tear spill out of the corner of Chat's eye and down his cheek. _He's waited so long to hear these words, and now it's not even real._ She thought, convinced that Chat had bought her act._ I'm sorry, Chat, I'm so sorry, but I need to serve the greater good. _

"I don't know how I could be so blind." She went on, "It's you Chat; you're the boy of my dreams." She tried not to laugh comparing the annoying Chat Noir with the perfect Adrien Agreste in her thoughts, but then she saw the Akuma getting even closer.

_Wait, why is it drawing closer? Shouldn't the negative emotions be evaporating? _

"Chat, I need…"

"STOP, Ladybug, just stop." Chat said, a little too forcefully. "I know you don't love me…" Then, he noticed the proximity of the Akuma, and he panicked. Lifting his gaze back to her, he realized he was in no state emotionally to resist akumatization. There was only one way to keep the butterfly from re-infecting his ring. "Cataclysm!"

But the black bug was undeterred. Chat looked back to the love of his life, and a desperate plan fell into place in his mind.

"You may not love me," he repeated. "But I will always love you."

Then, time seemed to slow down.

With one hand, Chat Noir flipped the Lucky Charm he was holding in the general direction of Ladybug. With the other, he selflessly pressed the dark energy into his own chest.

"NOOO!" Ladybug cried, but it sounded far away. From Chat's perspective, the room was spinning, and he began to faint.

He'd expected the cataclysm to kill him, and if he'd had any other Kwami, it would've. But there was a reason Plagg was ranked only after Tikki in terms of power. This was _his_ destructive energy they were dealing with. And if anyone could survive absorbing it, it was him.

He could almost imagine Hawkmoth screaming with rage that his most dangerous Akuma victim had outmaneuvered him. Surely, such an act of self-sacrifice would guarantee Chat couldn't be turned back into Chat Blanc, right?

Still, the dark energy brought him to his knees. Hunched over, he saw his ring tick from five to four… from four to three…

_Uh-oh, I don't have minutes! _Adrien panicked. _I have seconds before I change back. The last thing I need is Hawkmoth's spies telling him my true identity. _He looked over to Ladybug who was crawling towards where her Lucky Charm landed.

_She'll be fine. I need to get out of here. _Chat thought. He raced through the hole leading into the alley. Then, he launched over the nearest row of houses. He jumped again, colliding clumsily with a distant building's roof. Weak from the cataclysm to the chest, he tumbled down until he was hanging by his fingertips from a drainage pipe.

He struggled to pull himself up, as his ring beeped urgently, but he was too weak.

Fortunately, help was on its way. A swarm of Ladybugs filled the sky undoing all the damage caused by Chat Blanc. In a flurry of wings, Chat's body was completely healed, although he was still hanging from the drainage pipe. He felt a rush of relief as he tried to pull himself up onto the roof again. Unfortunately, the drainage pipe wasn't meant to support that much weight, so it tore away from the building a little.

Chat realized that the easiest solution was just to let go and fall harmlessly to the alley below...

But sometimes Chat's timing was as bad as his luck.

He'd just released his grip on the pipe when his ring gave a final beep, and he de-transformed.

Adrien Agreste fell four stories, hitting head with a sickening crack on the cement below.

**Author's note: **This story has been collecting dust on my computer's hard-drive for months because for the longest time this was where it ended. I couldn't figure out what happened next, fortunately, I came back to it recently, and inspiration hit.


	3. Grace Period

**Ch 3 – Grace Period**

With her yo-yo restored, Ladybug captured the Akuma and purified it. As the beautiful white butterfly flew upwards, Marinette de-transformed and poor Tikki collapsed into her hands like a deflated balloon. "Marinette…" she moaned.

"I know, I know, Tikki, that was too close," Marinette said offering the Kwami two cookies and a macaroon. "But it worked out, right? We didn't de-transform when everyone was still here." Tikki nibbled at her food but didn't respond.

Marinette might not have noticed, but the Kwami knew that they'd stretched the 5-minute de-transformation rule to more than nine minutes. Tikki hadn't wanted to let Hawkmoth learn Marinette's identity, but she was paying the price for overexerting herself.

Stretching the time limit wasn't healthy. Combined with three blows from Chat's Cataclysm, it was an easy way for a Kwami to get sick. Worse still, if they had to transform again, some of Ladybug's powers might be compromised. Tikki could only hope it wouldn't come to that.

While Tikki ate, Marinette sprinted back towards the park, not quite sure what to expect. She slowed when she overheard a sobbing child ask her mother. "Mommy, are you sure Ladybug's ok?"

"Yes, Jacqueline, we saw the ladybugs, so of course she's fine." But the woman didn't look convinced. Further on, Marinette passed more people huddled alone or in small groups. Everyone looked grim. Marinette had underestimated how terrifying it'd be for them to watch their two most reliable heroes fight. Worse still, when Chat Blanc cornered her, there'd been no cameras around, so nobody knew how the fight had ended until the ladybugs restored everything.

People had naturally expected to see Ladybug and Chat Noir back to their usual selves… but there'd been no sight of them. All Paris was waiting with growing dread that maybe the battle had ended worse than they'd imagined. The swarm of ladybugs indicated that Ladybug _probably _made it through, but no one knew for sure.

"Everyone's worried about Ladybug." Marinette said to Tikki. "Should we transform so they can see we're fine?"

Tikki studied the people's faces through a crack in Marinette's purse. She needed more time to recover… but people needed Ladybug. She took a final look and gave Marinette a small nod. Immediately, Marinette searched for a safe place to transform, but before she could take off, someone was calling her name. Marinette turned to see Alya racing her way. "Marinette! Where have you been, girl? We were looking everywhere for you."

"I… uh… got stuck… at… the bakery. I was there when the fight broke out." Marinette improvised.

Alya accepted the excuse without another thought. "Can you believe it? Chat Noir got akumatized and Ladybug STILL managed to save the day!" Unlike most of Paris, Alya never doubted that Ladybug would win. Marinette gave a nervous laugh. Alya might've thought the outcome was obvious, but Ladybug knew better.

Fortunately, Marinette was spared from responding when Nino ran up. "Hey, did you find him?" Alya asked her boyfriend.

"No, and I don't know where he could've gone."

"Maybe his dad forced him to go home." Alya suggested.

"Yeah, maybe." Nino didn't sound convinced.

"Uh, who?" Marinette interjected. Alya and Nino exchanged a quick glance.

"Uh, well," Alya said, "we saw Adrien right before the rally started, but then he ran off, and…"

"Nobody's seen him since." Nino finished.

"Wait, you mean Adrien's MISSING?!" Marinette squeaked in horror.

"Calm down, girl. I'm sure he's fine." Alya put her palms on Marinette's shoulders.

"Yeah, like Alya said, his dad probably called him or something." Nino agreed. "Wait, there's Lila. She'd probably know." Marinette couldn't help feeling cynical, even if Lila did know where they could find Adrien, she doubted the sly fox would give them an honest answer.

But neither Nino nor Alya knew what Lila was really like, and as often as Marinette had tried, she hadn't been able to rip the wool from their eyes. If it'd been anyone else who'd gone missing, Marinette wouldn't have stayed to sift through Lila's half-truths and bold-faced lies. She would've felt safe to assume they were alright so she could go, transform, and show Paris that Ladybug was fine.

But Adrien wasn't just anyone.

He was the love of Marinette's life, and if Lila knew anything about his whereabouts, Marinette needed to hear it. So, she stuck with Alya and Nino as they returned to the park where the rally had taken place. Considering how much Lila hated Ladybug, Marinette half-expected to find Lila long gone.

But clearly, she'd found the one thing that could make her stay: an audience.

Lila sat surrounded by their fellow classmates, telling them some fable set during Chat Blanc's attack. According to Lila, Chat had been flirting with her during the rally and hadn't wanted to take 'no' for an answer. "It's not like I wanted to be mean to him, but he had to know it wouldn't work out. But then, Ladybug came up and just dragged him off. You'd almost think she was jealous watching him flirt with anyone but her. Anyway, it was right after that that he was akumatized. I can only imagine what she might've said to him that'd have such an effect..."

"Ladybug would never say something to hurt Chat Noir." Rose said, but their was a tremor in her voce.

"Well," Lila continued, feeding off the blind faith of her audience, "I heard…"

"Lila!" Marinette interjected. She was done letting Lila make things worse between her, Chat Noir, and their fans. "Have you seen Adrien?"

"Adrien?" Lila repeated, innocently. "His father called. He had to go home to finish his homework, so that he doesn't have it hanging over his head tomorrow during his fall photoshoot. What didn't he tell you he was going?"

Nino was the first to respond. "Ugh! That old man hates fun."

"Well, to be fair," Lila said. "There was another Akuma attack, and if anyone could defeat Ladybug, it'd probably be her partner. It was probably best that Adrien was gone. If he'd been here and his father found out, he might not let Adrien out of his room ever again."

As the rest of the group kept talking about Adrien's overly strict father, Marinette studied Lila. Everything the fox said made perfect sense. But that was the most dangerous part about a brilliant liar, you could never tell when they were telling the truth. Everything they said was suspect.

Was Adrien at home now? Probably, but Marinette knew as much now as she had before asking Lila. Then, she almost slapped herself in the head. The simplest solution was just to call him. Sure, he might not answer but…

It went to voicemail, so she tried again.

She watched a Cheshire grin distort Lila's features. There was something about it that made Marinette feel off-balance. She saw a similar smile on Chat's face all the time, but there, it seemed fun in an annoying sort of way. On Lila, the same smile seemed sinister.

Again, the call went to voicemail. "What? He's not answering?" Lila asked sweetly. "Here, let me try." Lila pulled out her phone. Holding it to her ear, she casually paced.

A beguiling grin lit up her features. "Hey Adrien! Everyone was worried about you… Oh, you are?" Lila paused for effect, giving Marinette the chance to interject.

"Let me talk to him." She demanded. Lila held up a finger, in a gesture that said 'wait, I'm listening.'

"I understand." Lila sighed dramatically. "Tell your Father I'm sorry we interrupted. Bye Adrien… yeah, you too." Then, she hung up. "He said he was with his Father prepping for tomorrow's shoot, and his Father was getting angry that his phone kept ringing. Adrien sounded afraid that his Father might take it from him altogether."

Suddenly, Marinette was convinced that Lila was lying, and she whipped around to call Adrien again. She had her phone out when Alya stilled her hand. "What are you doing, girl?"

"I… I want to talk to him myself."

"Girl, think a minute. You don't want Adrien's old man taking his phone for a month. Cuz you KNOW he will." Marinette's thumb hovered over the green call button. Everyone knew how protective Gabriel could be. He tolerated no disobedience from his son. One false step and Adrien would be taken out of school and Marinette might never see him again and he'd never learn how she felt and he'd fall in love with someone else like Kagami and… and…

And Alya was trying to calm her down. "Marinette, chill. We know Adrien's fine. We can call him tomorrow after his photoshoot. Everything's ok." Alya coaxed her best friend through a deep calming breath, and Marinette felt better.

Adrien was ok. There was no reason he shouldn't be.

But for no reason Marinette could consciously understand, a terrible chill snaked down her spine. She wanted to talk to Tikki, but she couldn't in a crowd like this. She had to excuse herself. "You're probably right," she said, putting her phone back in her purse. "I should probably get back to the bakery."

"Didn't you say you just left there?" Nino asked.

"I… did…" Marinette said slowly, her mind racing for a lie. "But I promised my dad I'd finish a cake and I left it in the oven… to bake… and if I don't get back soon it'll burn," She took a step back, then another. "So, I really have to go… Bye." She took off running. "See you later," she called over her shoulder.

When she made it around a column where she could talk to Tikki safely (and transform if she had to) Marinette opened her pursed.

Tikki was in tears. "Marinette! Something's terribly wrong!"

She put Adrien out of her mind. "What? What is it?"

"It's Chat! Plagg says he's dying!"

"What?" Marinette was in shock. She hadn't seen her partner since he'd left her alone with the Lucky Charm. "How?... But… But my ladybugs fixed everything!"

She'd been so worried about Adrien that it'd never occurred to her that something might've happened to her partner.

What? What possibly could've happened in the ten minutes since she'd last seen him?

**Author's Note: **What indeed...


	4. Heartbeat

Ch 4 – Heartbeat

_Lub-dub…_

Adrien felt foggy.

_Lub-dub…_

_Can a person be foggy? Can a foggy be person…? Wait, can a…? Ahhh! _Adrien took a sharp intake of air, as his head erupted in pain. _ Ugh, what happened?! _With shallow breaths, he managed the pounding agony in his skull._ Maybe I'm sick, and Father will let me… let me stay in bed. Mom always… let me… me… in bed when… am I… in bed? Where… am I?_

Adrien opened his eyes, and for a moment, he was lost. _Did Father add a skylight to the ceiling? No… wait…_ This wasn't his bedroom. Laying on his back, he saw a patch of blue peeking through gray clouds. _That's pretty, _ he thought as dark little spots clouded the corners of his vision.

_I think… something happened._ His eyes drifted shut. _Something bad… What… was it?_

It took him a moment to remember. _I fell. Did I fall?… Or maybe, I'm… still falling… _

_Falling… I'm falling… falling into a deep far… into a dark fog. _

Honestly, it wasn't so bad in the fog. The pain didn't bother him here. There were noises and things trying to wake him up, but Adrien couldn't have found his way out of oblivion even if he wanted to.

* * *

Who could save him? Who knew where he was, and more importantly, who knew he was in trouble?

Not his father.

Not Natalie.

Not his friends from school.

Not Ladybug.

And not Master Fu… but there was still one person…

* * *

"ADRIENNNN!" Plagg wailed as he flew to the bottom of the alleyway. At first, he feared the worst had already happened. He blurred over the boy's eyes and mouth, searching for signs of life until he finally pressed an ear to his master's chest.

After an excruciating moment, he heard it. _Lub-dub._

_He's alive! _Plagg could've swam in the wave of relief that hit him.

_Lub… Lub… lub-du…dadadadadada…_

_Oh-no. _Plagg's relief evaporated as he realized there was a high chance his boy wouldn't last much longer. "Come on, Adrien! Hang on!" Plagg had to do something. He had to find help. He had to save his boy…

His mind raced for a solution. Who could help? Who could fix this? Even Tikki couldn't repair damage unless it was caused by a Miraculous Holder or a Kwami…

A Kwami… A kwami who could heal… _Daizzi!_ His fellow resident of the Miracle Box could grant the Power of Healing, and she more than capable of healing on her own. If he could just get her here…

Plagg zipped through the air towards the Miracle Box, but a choked sound stopped him short. Returning to the mouth of the alley, he watched Adrien gasp for air as he gurgled blood. He was suffocating, fighting for each breath.

Plagg couldn't leave him like this. He WOULDN'T leave him like this. If worst came to worst, Adrien would not die alone. _No! He won't die at all! I can't let that happen. _What was the point of having all his power, if Plagg couldn't stop his boy from dying?

An idea came to mind. A last desperate act… _No, no, no_, _we're not there yet. _But with his little head pressed to Adrien' chest, he still realized that there was a terrifying delay before the next _lub…._… _dub. _

Adrien needed help, but Plagg couldn't leave his side long enough to go get someone.

Fortunately for them, help was on her way.

* * *

"Please, Marinette, I need to save Chat Noir."

"Of course, Tikki. We'll transform and…"

"No, Marinette. If you come, you could learn his secret identity. Under no circumstances can you know who is behind his mask…"

"Yes, right. I'm sorry." Marinette said. "Ok, Tikki, go help him. I'll find Master Fu!"

Tikki didn't need to be told twice. She nodded and spirited away before Marinette had finished the sentence.

* * *

When Adrien fell silent again, Plagg panicked. He zoomed to Adrien's face, smacking him in hopes it'd get a reaction.

"Come on, Adrien! Wake up!" Adrien eyes fluttered open, and he released a weak breath. Then, the eyes shut. _No! No! No! No! No! No! _"I swear Adrien if you pull though this, I'll give up Camembert for a month… Or at least, a week," he amended, being more realistic.

But it was no use. Nothing Plagg said or did got another response from Adrien.

"_NOOOO!" _Plagg pressed his head to Adrien's chest, listening for his master's heart. There was soft trembling, followed by a weak _lub…_

Then, nothing.

No breath. No heartbeat. No choking. Not even the weak fluttering of a heart trying to go on. There was nothing. Nothing but the greatest silence of Plagg's life.

If there was ever a time for desperate acts, it was now. Plagg knew what he had to do. There was only one way to save Adrien, but Plagg couldn't do it alone.

No sooner had Plagg figured it out, than a small red and black blur appeared. _"_Plagg! Pla-" Tikki stopped short when she saw what was left of the once beautiful Adrien Agreste. "What happened?" She murmured.

"We de-transformed, and Adrien fell…. You've gotta help me save him..."

Like Plagg, Tikki pressed her small head to Adrien's chest. "Plagg," she whispered, "I think…"

"It's not too late!" Plagg snapped. "We can do this. If we merge our powers, we'll get one Wish. We can save him…"

"Plagg, we can't. If we save Adrien's life that way, it'll come at a cost. Someone else will lose their life to preserve the balance. We've seen this play out before. Likely it'll be someone close to Adrien that dies. Do you really want to bring him back and explain that we're the reason his father or mentor or friend is dead? Can you really sacrifice one life to save another?"

"I'll do it."

"What?!" Tikki answered, aghast. "Plagg, I've known you to do some selfish things over the years, but sacrificing a stranger to …"

"I won't," he cut in. "I won't sacrifice a stranger." His huffed as though insulted that she'd even suggest such a thing. Then, his lips quirked upwards. "I'll sacrifice myself."

Tikki was dumbfounded. Plagg's impish smile indicated he was joking, but how could a person joke at a time like this? _Oh, right, _Tikki thought, _this is Plagg we're talking about. _Her eyes narrowed. "This isn't funny."

"I never said it was, Sugarcube."

"Plaaaaagg," she warned.

"What we need is to exchange a life for a life. We can trade mine for Adrien's…"

"What?… You… We…" She searched for a reason that'd explain why this was a TERRIBLE plan. "Plagg, stop messing around. We… They… Paris will need BOTH of us to defeat Hawkmoth. I can't… I mean, my Ladybug and I can't do this without you…"

Oh, if looks could kill. You'd have thought she'd stolen his entire stash of Camembert. "I am NOT messing around, and if it worries you that much, Sugarcube, I'll just have to turn over my full power set to him."

"Plagg, no! No human has the right to wield all our power. They might abuse it."

Plagg was sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Adrien would never do such a thing. If anything, he'd probably wield Plagg's power better than Plagg ever had. But it was a moot point anyway, Plagg wouldn't let Adrien die. For all his jokes and irreverence, Plagg loved this boy. Adrien was the best owner he'd ever had, and he'd been bonding with humans for a very long time.

Furthermore, Plagg couldn't help but feel that Adrien deserved this. He deserved to live. He was the nicest kid you could ever meet despite having every reason to be a spoiled, rich brat. His mom was gone. His father was cold (and borderline abusive). Adrien was rich enough to have anything he could ever want, but he never took advantage of his wealth. He loved his friends. He was loyal, selfless. An amazing kid, a great superhero, and a wonderful owner. Tikki might think she'd lucked out with Marinette, but Plagg knew that, of the two of them, Adrien was the better kid.

He'd never met anyone like Adrien. There was no one else who deserved a long, happy life as much as that boy did. Adrien deserved better than to die alone in an alley. He deserved to live. He deserved to be happy.

"You can help me… or you can get out of my way because either way, I'm doing this." He landed on Adrien's cheek, nuzzling it. "The Wish will save his life. And transferring my power will ensure Paris keeps the hero it needs. Everybody wins." He lifted his eyes to his counterpart. "But don't be too worried, Sugarcube." The smirk was back. "I have an entire kilo of Bleu d'Auvergne waiting for me at home. I have no intention to let that go to waste. You WILL see me again… someday."

Tikki didn't look convinced. "Promise?"

"Would I ever joke about cheese?"

In spite of the seriousness of the moment, Tikki couldn't stifle a laugh. "Never," she said. She had never seen Plagg so determined to save one of their owners, and they'd known each other since the dawn of time. She looked again to the battered body on the ground, to Adrien's golden hair soaked red, his chest unnaturally still…

Then, she looked to Plagg. "Ok," she murmured. "How can I help?"

* * *

Plagg curled up on his master's chest, knowing that it might be for the last time.

Even now, he could smell the lingering scent of the empty Camembert box hidden in Adrien's shirt. The stinky sweet odor almost had the little cat purring as he closed his eyes.

He released a contented sigh. The Universe had been kind enough to grant his wish, and now it was just a matter of time before the exchange was complete.

Plagg waited for… _Lub-dub. _

It was working. _Lub-dub… _Plagg could've broke into song. He'd saved his boy! _Lub-dub; Lub-dub._

Another Kwami might have spent their final moments fretting over what'd happen next. After all, such an epic transfer of power was sure to have consequences. But Plagg wasn't like most Kwamis. He suspected that people like Master Fu and Tikki might say that he had planned this. (It was just the rebellious sort of thing that Plagg was famous for).

But the truth was that Plagg hadn't planned it.

He hadn't planned any of it.

Ha hadn't planned on breaking the rules.

He hadn't considered the consequences.

He'd just wanted to save Adrien's life.

And he was willing to do it at all costs.

Around him, Plagg felt Adrien stirring… but he also felt himself fading. Such an incredible transfer of power came with consequences.

It came at a cost.

As Plagg stared that cost in the face, he wondered if, when it was all over, the ends would justify the means, but then he heard Adrien's labored breath, and he knew it would. His boy would be alright. Adrien would've died if not for Plagg's quick thinking... and sacrifice.

That was all that mattered. Any guilt Plagg might've felt over his actions evaporated as his thoughts became muddled.

Adrien was worth this.

He was worth all the incoming fallout and then some.

The Kwami relaxed, his mind adrift. When Adrien woke up, there'd be a lot of questions, but Plagg was beyond worrying about them now. He closed his eyes and listened to the steady beat of Adrien's heart grow stronger.

It was going to be ok.

Adrien was going to be ok.

Paris was going to be ok.

Everything would be ok… Plagg just wouldn't be around to see it.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hi all, Thank you so much for the support. I'm really sorry for the wait... and for the cost to Plagg (assuming this is the end for my favorite Kwami...).

Side Note regarding Daizzi's Power of healing: That is total Hogwash. When I originally wrote the bulk of this story, it was before the episode Chat Blanc aired AND before we got to meet Viperon. In the first draft of my story, Plagg went to get Sass, the snake Kwami (who I'd made the Kwami of Wisdom and Healing). But then, the Serpent Miraculous was revealed to have other powers so I switched it to the Pig Kwami... and ended up cutting her presence from the story altogether because I really wanted Plagg to be the one to save Adrien.

Those who believe dogs are man's best friend, have never known what it's like to earn the love of a cat. :)

Thanks for reading. I hope to get the next chapter out soon.


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